A glimpse back at India

Being in one spot for nearly two weeks as we wrap up our time in India has given us a chance to plan the next steps on our journey, but more importantly it has given us time to reflect on an amazing 5 months here in India. In that time we were able to explore such a large part of this diverse country, yet it feels we barely scratched the surface. And now, just when we feel like we are really getting savvy--from rickshaw drivers to bus and train transportation, touts to shopkeepers--it is time to ramble on. As is human nature, we have a tendency to want to put things in a box, to capture it or summarize it in a few words...and that is just impossible with India. Our journey here has been an emotional one for me, as my emotions often mirrored the intensity of our experiences. I did not express much emotion in the blog, as my emotions often fluctuated wildly on a daily basis. Everything is in your face here, and sometimes it would feel as if the only privacy we could ever find was in our hotel room. So, what about the people living on the street? All of their daily activities from eating to bathing, etc are carried out right on the street corner in plain view of everyone. In a country whose population is due to surpass China's in the next few decades, those are the realities of people trying to survive. And if I came up with one generalization for Indians, it would be that they are entrepreneurs--an adaptation in such a densely populated country where people are fighting to survive. People aren't waiting around for jobs to present themselves, but rather going out and creating their own opportunities...a spirit I hope to carry with me after our travels have ended. The overall intensity and pace of life is chaotic and hard to swallow (although somehow it works!)...and certainly hard to keep up with at times. And somehow all of this makes you feel so very alive and free as you are traveling amidst all of this intensity. To let go of all the rules and regulations that tie us down and to just live life is so refreshing. To witness how things are done here and realize how detached we are from the things that we purchase and use. We watch women collect cow poop from the street and place patties out in the sun to dry for their fuel, women collecting huge bundles of sticks on their head to make that evening's meal, people picking through huge city trash piles separating organic material from recyclables and trash, and electronics shops overflowing with fans and devices that are being fixed instead of discarded...and markets full of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables out in the open air! Everything still feels much more connected here, thus you see where things are coming from, and unfortunately you also see where they (the trash) go. This is quite the change from the out-of-sight out-of-mind mentality we can so easily fall into back home. The trash is one of the realities that I have struggled with the entire time I have been here--from the trash clogging the waterways and turning the water black to trash piles with plastic bottles being burned on the corner to cows and goats eating cardboard... The realities of life are gut wrenching and challenged us on a daily basis. Of course, as budget travelers we tended to be in the midst of these aspects of India a lot, and did not experience the part of India that is stepping up to the world stage as an upcoming leader. Without a doubt, India is a place to be experienced, as troubling and challenging as that may be at times...pictures and words fail to capture the vibrant nature of life here (and the chaos that is ever present). It has truly been a rewarding experience the warm welcome we continually received across this vast country--such a vibrant, resilient culture that have been tested and challenged throughout India's long troubled history. I will be leaving India a stronger person myself, although I still unsure how the impact of our experiences here will manifest itself and affect my life once I return home.

On the lighter side!!! In a nutshell...we have become quite adept at eating with our (right!) hands, crossing multiple lanes of traffic with a Heisman trophy-esque stature, shrugging off cows sauntering down the road, doing our laundry and taking showers out of a bucket (though not at the same time!), squatting to go to the bathroom, walking away from rickshaw drivers when they ask for an outrageous sum of money, being in photos (we must have hundreds floating around out there!), forcing our way up to an open window with defensive elbows at the ready (as there is no such thing as a queue here!), and chugging down sugary chai!

So while we have many treasured memories and experiences we will be taking with us, we are eagerly looking forward to our next adventure--trekking in Nepal. We are so excited to set out leaving all the roads and traffic (aka exhaust clouds) behind to trek through mountain villages and immerse ourselves in the clean air of the Himalayas.

FYI--We are setting out on a 3 week trek in Nepal...so while my blogging has been a bit lacking lately, it's about to get even worse!! It will be several weeks before we return to civilization again and find ourselves back in communication!!